Star Ocean: A Collection
by Blue Crow
Summary: S02 Stories from Expel and Nede told by different members of the group. Requests are available
1. Dias Sunrise

We'd been climbing for days. It's strange because when you're at the foot of a mountain, looking up, you have a vague idea of how many vertical miles it's rocky face carries on for. But when you begin your fruitless scale along with 4 others, it seems to tower endlessly, tauntingly above you. You even begin to wonder if it ends at all, or simply continues, stabbing a hole in the night's starred face, hopelessly reaching out to touch heaven.

On the fifth day it started raining. Heavily. Everyone slowed down, and allowed the elements to overtake them.

"If we carry on in this weather I don't know what's going to happen!" Celine was screaming over the pounding rain. Luck dealt us a card that night, and we found a scar in the rock face after 20 minutes of trudging through the torrential rain. It was a narrow squeeze of an entrance, but opened up into a wide, circular cave.

"If we stop we'll never reach the top Rena"

"It's too much Claude. We _have_ to stop," she answered.

"We have to carry on! Don't you understand?"

"Well no maybe I don't, and maybe I am an idiot but at least _I_ know when to stop. You'd have us keep going until we ran out of food!"

"IM JUST ASKING THAT WE CARRY ON FOR TONIGHT!" Their voices were beginning to grate me. Always bickering and fighting for leadership. On this occasion, Rena was right, and I had to step in.

"IF WE DON'T STOP WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE" I bellowed. Everyone's eyes widened at the sudden outburst. "VISIBILITY IS GETTING WORSE, AND UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE MAKING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP AS A GHOST, I SUGGEST YOU LISTEN TO RENA". I held Claude's gaze as I fell silent. He swore loudly, but turned and entered the cave none the less. Why is it that I always remind myself of a parent when I speak to him?

Everyone settled on the floor and discarded their sopping wet cloaks towards the fire that Celine had conjured. The cave seemed darker and damper still than the storm raging outside. They were all too afraid to look one another in the face, in case the others expression confirmed my threat. It's amazing how death can scare the bravest of men. You think you have your wits about you, but then you're faced with the unknown and you crumble, like a poorly carved statue. They kept to themselves, and were silent. However, I was staying close by the entrance, keeping watch. It would have been all too easy to go to sleep then and there, and risk having our throats slit in the night. The sound of the pounding rain was enough to keep me awake, reverberating off of every goddamn rock in that cave. It was enough to drive you insane, and I had the monster of all headaches.

Claude was sitting in the left-hand corner with his head in his hands. A droplet fell and hit the floor directly below his face, and to this day I'm still not quite sure whether it was his wet fringe, or if he was crying. Rena and Celine were by the fire, arms around each other in an attempt to keep warm. Good old predictable Bowman stood in the other corner, taking a lazy drag on his cigarette. That night, as the wind howled and the rain fell, time seemed to be standing idle, slowing down for us 5 travellers sheltered from the rain. I'll never forget that night…cold, dark and desperate as it was. The wind squeezed its way through the scar, and howled in our ears. It must have taken hours, but one by one they fell asleep. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, but I refused to succumb to sleep. I needed my eyes. But all I could see past the narrow gap was sheets and sheets of water falling. Blue, black, and grey droplets falling from a far away heaven, and smashing into this rocky structure. I wondered…maybe in hundreds, even thousands of years, would this mountain become a stump, like a tree that grew too tall for its roots? Despite the noise, and discomfort of the situation, it was a place where I was able to collect my thoughts. So much had been happening of late, that I had let the majority of it pass over the top of my head. I thought about Arlia, and the warm breeze that permanently ran through it during the summer, like an invisible force melting away your anxieties. I was so weary, so tired…

I woke with a start, unsheathing my sword in the blink of an eye and pointing it in the direction of the movement beside me.

"You've got to stop doing that," Rena whispered. To my horror my sword was positioned about an inch away from her throat.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, sheathing the immaculate, razor sharp metal. I peered through the scar. The sky was slightly lighter; an inky blue smudge on an infinite canvas…and it was still raining. She sat beside me on the hard ground, and leant her head on my shoulder.

"And are you enjoying your first class accommodation, Miss Lanford?" I peered down and was pleased to see she was smiling. If the others had been awake I'm sure they would have thought I'd gone mad due to lack of sleep or something. Dias Flac didn't crack jokes. She sighed.

"I hate this," Her voice was tainted by sadness.

"Don't worry, things are going to get better. I can't believe I fell asleep…"

"Yes, some watchman you are" she said, nudging my side. We listened to the rain for a while, each caught up in our own thoughts.

"Dias-," she whispered almost inaudibly, "you don't really thing we are going to die up here…do you?" her eyes were shining with tears and I felt my heart sink.

"No," I paused, "It isn't our destiny"

"Then what is?" those were the last words she spoke before falling asleep.

"I wish I could tell you" I replied.

Someone kept shaking me. Eventually it got so annoying it forced me to get up and have to shield my eyes from the bright sunlight.

"Come outside," said the familiar voice of Rena. I frowned at the possibility of another day of walking and climbing… then I made a bet with myself that it was _still_ raining, to top it all off. However, as I stepped outside, I gasped.

We were all standing on a thin ledge, and were maybe half a day's climb from the top of the mountain. But what shocked me the most was how high up we were. The morning clouds were beneath us, but seemingly directly in front of us stood the rising sun. It shone amber, gold, and platinum all at once. We were level with the sun…like Tria the god of all creation. It was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen, and as I placed my hand on Rena's shoulder, I realised…_This_ was our destiny, to ensure that everyday the sun would rise on Expel, and that our days would be filled with light. It was our destiny to save this planet, so that we ourselves, alongside every inhabitant of our world could wake up to a new day. I'm not sure how long we stood there for, perhaps an hour, but we had all come to the same realisation, and set out for the summit with a new hope rising in our hearts. I don't generally enjoy sunrises, but that one was definitely worth losing sleep over.

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So that was the first chapter, what did you think? It was supposed to be from Dias' point of view, and I plan to write a set from numerous peoples points of view. I couldn't remember the name of the stupid mountain from the first disc either...eurgh. Please review if you liked it, or hated it!


	2. Claude&Ernest Liar

"Have you ever had one of those days when you just want to give up on life, walk away and never look back? I call them Mondays"

Ernest had caught me using the communicator again. Well, not technically _using _it…more like trying to make it work.

"It's just too far out of its transmission field Claude, don't waste the battery".

"Shit," I swore under my breath. I hadn't thought about the battery running out.

"Thanks for the optimism Ernest" I muttered, pocketing the now useless communication device. Sometimes it petrifies me that a tiny box full of wires and chips is the only connection I have left to my old life. If I strained my ears I could still hear the others off in the distance, laughing round the campfire so I wasn't worried about being over heard.

"You miss earth that much kid?" he asked, patting me on the head. I hate it when Ernest does this, because it makes me feel an inch tall, but in another sense I find his fatherly nature comforting.

"It's not so much that I miss earth, it's, its just that-"

"You couldn't get back even if you wanted to. Join the club". I nodded sadly. The realisation of being stranded on Expel was finally setting in. I leant against the trunk of a tree and gazed upwards. I would've given anything to see an airplane fly overhead, leaving a snail's trail of white vapour behind. But all there was was blue sky. Ordinary blue sky.

"What century do you think we're in right now Ernest?" he took his time answering me, pausing to scratch his bearded chin.

"Medieval, possibly 16th century?"

"Oh man…" I thought back to my days at the academy and those history lessons I always fell asleep in. How long would it be until someone invented a steam train, or a car?

"I promise that if I make it back to earth…I'll give a lecture at the academy on how to survive being stranded on an under developed planet". Ernest laughed.

"One thing at a time Claude. Concentrate on the sorcery globe for the mean time. Set your priorities straight. Besides, it's not all that bad". I scoffed, taking my eyes off the sky and looking back at Ernest.

"At least you're not alone here, you have Opera. Me? I've got a swordsman who's always putting me down, a witch who's too self absorbed to notice that I'm struggling, and a healer who ignores me for the swordsman. And oh yes, let's not forget the blueberries, and blackberries _and_ aquaberries, and any other disgusting, bitter berries that grow here," I finished angrily, balling my fists.

"Hey, calm down," he said smiling "I agree the food here really isn't up to par, I mean amoeba soup? What the _hell is that?_ But anyway, the team cares about you Claude, especially Rena. From what Opera's told me, she was beside herself at the Tournament of Arms when you fell. And she was shouting your name, not Dias'." I didn't feel much like continuing with this Rena conversation, so I just nodded and said I understood. The truth is she was cheering for _me_ because Dias needed no support; he would have won even if someone had blindfolded him.

"Come back to camp when you're ready kid," he said, patting me on the shoulder "and try to look on the bright side of things." As I watched Ernest walk back to camp, a thought struck me. If I ran away at that very moment, they'd never be able to find me. I might be able to communicate with someone on earth if I travelled alone, maybe even construct Expel's first crude satellite. I looked to my right, and saw the distant glow of the fire, and to my left I saw nothing but dense forest. A line from an old American poem popped into my head, and I laughed at its irony. 'Two roads diverged in a yellow wood'. The only difference was that this particular wood was green. I pondered what to do for a long while.

"And where have you been?" asked Rena.

"Collecting firewood," I said, dropping the logs and taking a seat on the hard ground.

"Liar" Ernest muttered from the corner of his mouth and grinning.

"Takes one to know one," I replied.

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Sorry everyone I know that was a bit short and I haven't updated in ages. Truth is Im really busy with A-levels and what not right now, but Ive got some more of these started and hopefully Ill update quicker this time. Please review if you liked it or not I love reviews 


	3. Rena Dead Letters

Can you show me what it's like

to be free?

How it feels to wake up on your own

unsure of your destination

and the place you once called home

Be my ears

and teach me how to listen, for

silence is all I can hear

the echo of your voice, resounding, resounding

Show me the wind

and we'll be careless

drifting from place to place, like leaves on a breeze

watching the seasons pass us by

whatever we please

Be my eyes

and show me the world in

every vibrant colour, and every insignificant detail

for without you, I am blind

A year and 6 months I am counting

Can you show me what it's like

to be free?

remove me from this hollow surrounding

(just promise you'll come back for me)

I folded the piece of paper in half, and wrote his name on the front. It must have been the tenth letter I had written, and I had no way of knowing whether he had even received one. They were the only connection I had left to him and that was the reason why I had to keep writing. If his image in my mind began to blur even further, I wouldn't know what to do. The sky outside was overcast, so I left my room and made my way downstairs, the letter held in my hand.

"Rena…another one?" my mother was by the stove, cooking dinner. I nodded.

"Just be careful," she said smiling. With another nod I left silently, closing the front door behind me with a click. I breathed in the evening air, which was damp and refreshing. I could see in the distance that Lucia was playing by the gate again.

"Big sister Rena!" he exclaimed, running towards me.

"Hi Lucia!" I said, hugging the small child. "I don't think your mother would want you playing outside at this time of night. She must be worried."

"Owwwwww," he moaned, stamping his feet. "Why am I _always_ treated like a baby?" I grinned, and fought the temptation to tell him that he _was_ still a baby.

"Now Lucia, if you're a good boy and go back home and have some dinner I promise that I'll play with you tomorrow". He stopped pouting and smiled.

"Yay yay yay! Playtime playtime! I promise I'll go home big sister, see you tomorrow!" I stood there and waved until he had reached his front door, then turned to leave the village. The trees surrounding the path were bent forwards, blowing violently in the wind and being pulled against their will. I couldn't have hoped for better weather. After 20 minutes of walking through the bitter cold I caught sight of Salva, and quickened my pace. I passed rows and rows of houses and finally Allen Taxs' mansion before I reached the gate which led towards Cross, Mars, and Herlie. There were no trees on the path leading out of Salva, and I looked left to right at the barren landscape which surrounded me. The wind was howling in my ears, sending my hair in all direction and pulling me slightly in the direction of Cross. I held my arm out with the letter grasped firmly in my hand.

"Tria…let this reach him," I whispered to no one in particular. I let go of the letter, and watched it fly off into the distance, carried limply on the wind as if it were weightless. On my way back to Arlia I reflected on his departure all those months ago. At the beginning I missed him more and more everyday, but what was worse was when I eventually became numb and didn't miss him at all. As the uneventful days of my life passed by, I began to forget the sound of his voice and the look of his smile. He was the only unpredictable person in my life, and without him here I've become a shell of my former self. As I reached the gate to Arlia, I paused and looked back at path I had just followed. The sky remained a steely grey, and the wind was still moaning in the distance. I imagined him following that same path and returning to the village. I blinked away the tears that had begun to surface in my eyes, and headed towards my house without looking back. I hoped that he was somewhere out there, reading one of my letters and that he hadn't forgotten me.

"Dias…"

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I don't even know what posessed me to write this. I felt a bit down today so I felt like writing something drab and wishy washy. Thanks again to all my reviewers!!! And yes to the anonymous reviewer, I will write something about Ashton and his two dragons. It'll probably be a while before I update again though, as I want to focus on my poetry for a while. 


	4. Rena&Dias Im for you

Ok just to clarify before everyone starts reading, the order of sentences is Rena then Dias. Each new paragraph is supposed to signify a change in characters. Ok so remember it starts with Rena!! And yes I do know that most of this never happened in the L'aqua scene, but it's what I wanted to happen!! I hope you like it and please review.

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It was our last night, and I couldn't sleep. 

I didn't plan on sleeping that night.

Looking over at the other beds I noticed someone was missing. I envied the others, who were somehow managing to sleep soundly.

I feigned sleep for perhaps an hour until I thought it safe to leave the small room. It must have been the late hours of night judging by the darkness of the sky.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a few minutes. It didn't stop my mind from racing horribly though. Thoughts of self-doubt and fear began to take a hold of me. Like a slow acting poison.

I made my way down to the beach, cool salty air greeting my nostrils.

I got up slowly, and managed to leave without waking anyone up. I felt like going down to the beach and watching the stars. For the last time?

The air was unusually calm. I watched intently as wave after wave rolled up the shore, yet never came close to hitting my shoes.

I leant on part of the cool, metal fence outside of the building, trying to centre my thoughts. My heartbeat was going crazy, racing as if someone had unexpectedly jumped out and startled me.

The ocean resembled an enormous liquid mirror. Its water swayed silkily beneath the obsidian sky, reflecting light from the moon and thousands of stars.

I walked feverishly down the steps that led towards the beach. The salty air reminded me of Herlie, and as I closed my eyes and pictured it, it was like I was home again. Home…all the time I was wondering if _I_…if _we_ would ever see home again.

My mother, father and Cecille. I wondered if I would be seeing them all again quite soon? I myself held no irrational fear of death; it was the others I was worried about. It was Rena I worried about…

As I stepped onto the sand, I remembered the day we had all spent down at the beach on Expel. But the memory seemed _so_ far away.

A sigh escaped my lips as I looked up at the sky. So many thousands of tiny lights. I questioned what exactly I was looking up at…another planet like Nede, or Expel? The face of an all seeing, all knowing God? Tria knows…

"Father… Mother… Cecille… I think I'll finally be able to be with you again…"

A set of footprints lined the sand in front of me. I carried on walking, retracing whoever's footsteps, quite unaware of the world passing around me.

I saw her.

I saw him.

She walked up to me, and stood perfectly still. Her face was paler than usual and her eyes were wide.

I walked up to him and stood still, frozen to the spot. His long, sapphire hair was blowing in the wind, like the pale blossoms of early springtime.

"Oh, it's you Rena. Were you listening?"

"Yes. I know I shouldn't have… Dias. What happened to your family was not your fault. You must stop blaming yourself for it."

"No. You're wrong. Our family was destroyed because we were weak. If we had been strong we would not of been stepped on like that."

"Dias."

"The world belongs to the strong, Rena. That's why I fought so hard… to become so strong that no one can ever defeat me."

"No! You're lying! You're just trying to forget the past by fighting and trying to kill the kindness in your heart. You're running away!"

"Me? I'm running away?"

"Yes! You simply don't have the courage to accept things as they are. You're a coward! You must stop running. If you don't the past will overtake you and destroy you. So face reality, Dias. However terrible it may be. Stop pretending not to see it!"

I was silenced by her sudden outburst. Little Rena had finally grown up.

"..." I turned to leave without another word.

"Dias!"

She called after me and I felt obliged to acknowledge her. There were so many things I wanted to tell her there and then on that shore.

"I love the sea. Sometimes it's quiet, sometimes it's violent. But it always accepts everything. Just like you, Rena." Once again I turned on my heel and made my way back to the centre.

"Oh Dias…" My hands were shaking as he walked away. Love? Did he mean what I thought he did?

I didn't know how much longer I could have stood there next to her without telling her everything.

I was confused. I was desperate. I didn't know what to do.

I had barely taken 2 steps when-

"Dias!"

She called me back.

He was walking back towards me. I didn't know what to say. No words would come out.

She wasn't saying anything. My mind was racing. What if she didn't like me that way? Then Id look like an idiot…But if I didn't tell her I might never have gotten a chance to.

I couldn't read his expression. Was he angry with me for calling him back twice? I still couldn't manage to say anything. He was close now.

I was close to her. I had to make a decision, as it was one of those 'now or never' situations. I put my arms around her.

I didn't notice he was holding me. All I knew was that as we were getting closer and closer, my mind was getting cloudier and cloudier. We were inches away from each other.

I kissed her.

He kissed me.

From that moment on I knew we were meant to be together.

I was in shock as our lips parted. It had finally happened, after years and years of wondering, and hoping. I couldn't believe it…

She looked upset, and as a tear rolled down her cheek my heart sank. So I had been wrong, after all. The feelings weren't mutual. I brushed the tear away and held her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? This…this could be our _last_ night."

More tears fell from her eyes and to her horror I simply couldn't stop smiling. I just couldn't…she did feel the same about me as I did about her. "We're going to get through this Rena, come hell or high water. Fate has got us this far; you don't think it would abandon us now? It was fate that you saved me 4 years ago, and fate that we both couldn't sleep tonight."

His voice was so controlled and confident that I believed every word. And he was smiling again...

I gathered her up in my arms as we sat down on the sand and allowed her to cry into my chest. "Shhh. It will all be fine. Everything will be fine."

I looked him in the eyes as he whispered to me. "I know it will…now that I am with you". He gave that rare smile again.

"When we get back to Expel I want to ask you a question Rena. The most important question of my life, and I hope you'll say yes." As I kissed her lightly, I wished that time would stand still…and that the morning would never dawn. I never wanted her to leave, but as she laid her head against my chest, I realised that she never would.


	5. Ashton&Precis Lucky!

All his life he had been unlucky. A clumsy child, he was always falling over or getting himself into trouble with the inhabitants of Salva. As an adult, he had wandered the land, trying to build his reputation as a swordsman, yet all to no avail. He remembers the morning he set out to slay the great dragon of the mines, his head held high and a spring in his step at the prospect of finally making a name for himself. Unfortunately, the excitement that had buzzed within his mind and seemed to crawl beneath his skin was soon replaced by despair. He had entered the mines a young man, and left them a frightening oddity. For Ashton Anchors, forever plagued by bad luck, had been possessed by two ancient dragons whose home was his back. From that day on people had gawked, remarked, and even fled in fear of his appearance. The group gave him support and even told people of his story in hopes of it spreading and becoming something positive, perhaps even a local legend? Yet within himself, Ashton was deeply unhappy. He saw the world as having turned it's back to him, and no amount of reassurance or support could help. Then one day, just as he had been seriously contemplating leaving the group and travelling alone, he met a young girl with auburn hair and with bright green eyes which were, a lot like his actually. She came from a dusty, machinery driven town like him and even thought the two dragons sticking out of his back were cute! That day had marked a turning point in his life, and for the first time in many months he smiled, not the fake, rehearsed smile he forced himself to present but an actual, genuine smile.

Many months had passed since then, and Ashton now sat at a river bank, his hand lightly brushing over the surface of the water and revelling in the cooling sensation which spread through his body. It was summer, and the group had been travelling to Lacour in hopes of discovering new information on the Sorcery Globe. They had stopped to rest in a forest which seemed relatively safe, each of them allowing their troubles to melt away for a short time under the calming green light of the trees.

"What are you trying to do, huh? Catch a fish?" Ashton didn't need to turn round as he had recognised her voice. That voice seemed imprinted on his very memories and often appeared in his dreams.

"Nope. Just trying to cool down a bit" he replied, turning to face Précis and smiling.

"Well, catching fish is a lot more fun" she sat beside him and began to scan the water carefully, like a cat. Ashton laughed sheepishly and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"Honestly, you won't catch anything, the fish will see you coming a mile away" Précis pouted her lips like a child and turned to face Ashton.

"You spoil sport. So how comes you're sitting here on your own? You should come and chat with the group down by the fire."

"Oh, sorry, I just- wanted to be on my own for a while you know, so I could think…"

"Abooout?" Ashton hesitated for a moment. "About what silly?"

"I was just thinking about Gyoro and Ururun…you know, if I'll ever be able to separate them without hurting them…"

"I'm sure you will!" Précis noticed the glum look on Ashton's face and carried on, her voice growing louder. "And if you don't, who cares. I think having two ancient spirits on your back is kind of cool, don't you?" Ashton smiled sadly.

"Well, it's not exactly cool…It's a nightmare trying to sleep on your back, but it's not cool" Précis giggled and placed a hand on Ashton's shoulder. Ashton could feel his face growing steadily pinker and tried his best to stop the blush from creeping up his face.

"You shouldn't be sad Ashton, because you're not unlucky. I know you think you are but you're not. And having dragons on your back is nothing bad, it doesn't change who you are! You're an amazing friend and you have a heart of gold, even though you're a bit of a goof sometimes. Please come back to the group with me?" Précis stood up and held her hand out. Ashton took it and stood, slightly surprised by her strength.

"You're strong for a small person, huh?" Précis stuck her tongue out and Ashton laughed as they began walking in the direction of the small smoke trail which rose into the darkening sky. The figures of Celine, Claude, Rena and Dias soon came into view, along with an appetising aroma which sent Ashton's stomach gurgling with hunger. He quickly hit his stomach in an attempt so stop the embarrassing noises, and hoped that Précis hadn't heard.

"HEY CLAUDE, WHAT'RE WE EATING TONIGHT?" Précis shouted into the distance., her own voice echoing within the silent forest.

"HAMBURGERS!!!" Claude replied, equally loud. Dias' voice rose and the two heard him scolding Claude for attracting bandits with the noise. Précis laughed and turned to Ashton.

"See, things are looking up for you already". She gave a smile which made his stomach summersault and forget all about the promise of his favourite meal, when Bobot suddenly leapt out of her backpack and ran full speed towards the fire. "NO BOBOT- COME BACK HERE!" she shouted, running after the tiny machine. Ashton couldn't help but laugh and began walking back to camp, a smile on his face and his heart feeling lighter.

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Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I'll try and be a bit more frequent in the future. Thank you very much to my reviewers, and I hope that you like this one! Please continue to review as it makes me smile!! And please please ignore any typos or grammer issues, I apologise for always typing stories out late at night!! 


	6. Bowman&Opera Drinking in Giveaway

"Do you miss her?"

"Huh?"

"I said, do you miss her?"

The air was thick with smoke and the overly animated talk of drunken men. Opera and Bowman were sat on the corner of the bar, the blonde tetragene sipping on an apple cider and the young professor lighting a cigarette. Taking a lazy drag on the tobacco, Bowman sighed and turned his attention to an old man who had fallen asleep at the other end of the bar, his long nedian ears still visible beneath his folded arms. To be honest, he still wasn't used to being the 'strange' one on this planet, having people ask him why his ears were so small or looking thoroughly puzzled when he replied he was an 'Expellian'. He allowed his eyes to linger for a moment upon Opera's third eye, amber like the other two, yet never moving.

"Hey Opera, can you see out of that other eye of yours?" She laughed and fixed him with a sincere smile.

"Yes I can 'see' out of it, but what I see exactly, I can't tell you. An old secret of us tetragenes. But come on, you're avoiding _my _question." Bowman quickly dropped his humorous act and turned instead to the shot of vodka neatly lined up with the other empty glasses. He downed the liquid and took another drag on his cigarette.

"Of course I miss her. There's not a day goes by when I don't miss her" he replied hoarsely, running his thumb over the golden wedding ring on his left hand. "And what about you, do you miss him?"

"Yes" she replied sadly, swigging the last of her cider and gesturing to the barman for another. "Ernest, always the adventurer, always reckless, always such a free spirit. That's what I loved about him most, Bowman, his reckless streak, funny isn't it that that was what separated us in the end…" The two sat in silence for a long while, the occasional snores of the old man drifting over to their quiet corner. "Why did I choose Expel as our next destination? It's my fault he's gone, everything's my fault". A few tears rolled down her rosy cheeks and she hiccupped. Bowman stubbed his cigarette out and cracked his knuckles- a nervous habit he had picked up as a child from his father.

"It's not your fault Opera, and the sooner we defeat the Ten Wise Men, the sooner we'll get to see them again. Ernest might not have even _been_ on Expel when…what happened, happened. At least you can still cling to that small ray of hope…" Opera brushed the tears away from her eyes and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry Bowman, I didn't mean to say-"

"No, no, It's alright. I know Nineh's dead, I've made my peace with it. But I won't give up my one chance of ever seeing her again. I mean to win against Indalecio when the time comes, but even if the worst happens and we're unable to stop him, well," Bowman ruffled the back of his hair "it seems selfish to admit it, but I honestly wouldn't care if I died because at least then, we could be together…" He downed another vodka and frowned as the burning sensation crept up his throat. Opera's eyes had grown wide and she seemed to have sobered up slightly. "It's just the waiting that's unbearable. Counting down the days until the whole final showdown thing, you know? Don't get me wrong, the group's great company and you've all become my best friends," Opera raised her newest bottle of cider in a toast and Bowman smiled sadly. "It's just- I miss my home planet and I miss my wife. And some days it can just all get a bit too much." Opera patted his back and pulled a cigarette from the carton sitting in his front pocket. He pulled out a lighter and held the flame beneath the thin white stick. She inhaled deeply, breathing out a cloud of purple smoke, coloured by the neon lights of the bar.

"And on those days my friend, when it all just gets too much, I'll be here. And we can come and have a drink. Well, many drinks. And we can count down the days together until we're back with the people we love most."

"I'll drink to that" Bowman said, passing a shot of vodka to Opera and holding his own in the air.

"To Expel"

"And to Tetragenes"

"To winning this war" he stated a little louder.

"To saving the Universe" she replied, even louder.

"To returning home" he cried.

"TO NINEH" Opera shouted, standing up (and swaying slightly)

"AND TO ERNEST" Bowman replied, the two downing their shots and laughing loudly. The old man on the other corner jerked awake and surveyed the two with an annoyed gaze.

"Bloody foreigners" he mumbled.

* * *

Yay another one written. Sorry about the ending, it's kind of lame and crazy but I wanted it like that. I reckon Bowman and Opera would be mean drinking partners, don't you? TO ANYONE WHO ACTUALLY READS THIS SERIES, PLEASE REVIEW! I'm sad when no one reviews!!! 


End file.
